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Public Information Meeting on New Bicycle Routes Held in Istanbul

As part of the European Mobility Week, the “Bicycle Public Information Meeting” of Istanbul Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) Project which is financed under the Sectoral Operational Programme (USOP) for Transport managed by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, was held on 21 September 2024 at Istanbul Planning Agency (IPA) Campus. The meeting was attended by stakeholders from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, civil society organizations and citizens.

Miray Özkan, Participation Expert, gave the opening speech and pointed out that cycling is an important part of sustainable transportation. Akif Türkel, Transportation Sector Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey, emphasized that cycling is an environmentally friendly transportation alternative, should be encouraged more and social, economic and environmental benefits of cycling.

Melda Horoz, IBB Transportation Planning Director, shared the activities carried out within the scope of the “Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP)”and gave information about integration projects and low carbon transit practices that aim to reduce traffic congestion. She especially drew attention to the integration of bicycle lanes with public transportation. Haluk Camcıgil, Project Key Expert II Candidate, gave a presentation on bicycle route projects, focusing on the benefits of promoting cycling as a means of transportation in Istanbul and shared the proposed new bicycle routes with the participants.

In the second part of the meeting, participants examined the maps on the walls and presented their individual assessments of the proposed bicycle routes. The evaluations on the Kadıköy-Bostancı and Pendik-Tuzla routes on the Anatolian side and the Galataport-Historical Peninsula route on the European side focused on the safety, integration potential and existing infrastructure issues. Participants also shared their views on the impact of bicycle lanes on shopkeepers and neighborhood residents. Among the most prominent views were that bike lanes would facilitate access to shopkeepers and improve the appearance of neighborhoods.